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Lt. Cdr. John S. McCain III limps down ramp for a welcome as he arrives at Clark Air Base in The Philippines, March 14, 1973 from captivity in Hanoi.
AP Photo

The highest-voltage third rail of this presidential campaign may not be race, sex or age, but John McCain's military service.

On Sunday, McCain's campaign issued a pair of outraged statements after retired general and Barack Obama supporter Wesley Clark said he didn't think that McCain’s service as a fighter pilot and prisoner of war was relevant to running the country. Obama has consistently praised McCain's service, and called him "a genuine American hero."

But farther to the left — and among some of McCain's conservative enemies as well — harsher attacks are circulating. Critics have accused McCain of war crimes for bombing targets in Hanoi in the 1960s. A widely read liberal blog on Sunday accused McCain of "disloyalty" during his captivity in Vietnam for his coerced participation in propaganda films and interviews after he had been tortured.

"A lot of people don't know ... that McCain made a propaganda video for the enemy while he was in captivity," wrote Americablog.com's John Aravosis. "Putting that bit of disloyalty aside, what exactly is McCain's military experience that prepares him for being commander in chief?"

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"The American people know that John McCain's record of service and sacrifice is not a matter of debate. He has written about and discussed his service as a POW extensively — often in excruciating and painful detail," said McCain spokesman Brian Rogers. "The American people will judge harshly anyone who demeans or attacks that service."

McCain has written repeatedly of his service, including in a long 1973 magazine article and in his memoir, "Faith of My Fathers." A Navy aviator from a military family, he was shot down on his 23rd sortie over Vietnam on Oct. 26, 1967. His mission was to bomb a power plant in the North Vietnamese capital. Already suffering from broken limbs, he was beaten by a crowd before being taken to a POW camp. After being tortured there, he participated in some Vietnamese propaganda efforts.

"I had learned what we all learned over there: Every man has his breaking point. I had reached mine," he later wrote.

But he later defied his captors by refusing to meet with anti-war delegations from abroad, he wrote, and he also refused the most valuable special treatment he was offered: early release.

"I did not want to go out of order," he later wrote. He was finally released on March 14, 1973.

Obama and the Democratic establishment haven't challenged McCain's record. Indeed, even Clark's words came in response to a direct question from CBS's Bob Schieffer on the specific relevance of McCain's service to the presidency.

In April, Democratic West Virginia Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV cut a bit closer, suggesting that McCain's days as a fighter pilot were themselves a critique of his character.

"What happened when they [the missiles] get to the ground?" he asked. "He doesn't know. You have to care about the lives of people. McCain never gets into those issues."

Rockefeller promptly abjectly apologized, praising McCain's "honorable and noble service to our country" and deploring his own "inaccurate and wrong analogy." His apology reflected a conventional political wisdom that McCain's heroism is too well-established, and a climate of respect for soldiers too strong, for attacks on his service to do anything but backfire.

But Aravosis, who reiterated his criticism in an interview with Politico on Sunday night, isn't the only one to test this line of attack.

Valentine suggested McCain contemplated suicide — something the candidate has written about, and attributed in part to his guilt at not withstanding torture — because he was a "war criminal" whose bombs fell on civilians.

McCain, who sought — along with Sen. John F. Kerry — to debunk claims that Vietnam still held American prisoners into the 1990s, has been attacked in similar terms by leaders of the POW/MIA movement, whom he and Kerry cast as charlatans.

That movement has produced the most outlandish attacks on McCain, including widely dismissed and unsubstantiated claims that McCain was not tortured as well as a smear casting him as a "Manchurian candidate."

Readers' Comments (3351)

I think that undermining McCain's war record is not a viable path for the left.

If the issue is command experience, what command experience does obama have? My view is that it's not the "command experience" but the fact that McCain voluntarily chose to stay in the prison camp until prisoners who were captured before him were released.

"I know and like McCain," Tom Hayden, a former California State Senator and prominent anti-war activist, told Politico in an email. "From my own perspective and that of many anti-war activists of that era, the fact that he bombed North Vietnam some 25 times, probably killing civilians, gets blurred with the facts

But he later defied his captors by refusing to meet with anti-war delegations from abroad, he wrote, and also refused the most valuable special treatment he was offered: Early release.

So he refused early release and the Vietnamese said: 'ok McCain you are in charge here. If you don't want an early release we just keep you here? Did he chain himself to his bed so the Vietnamese just couldn't get him out? The Vietnamese were either very polite to keep him or this early release is a bogus story.

So Obama and his campaign plans on "attacking" McCain on his war record? Well we Americans are sure glad that he's running a "clean" campaign based on the "issues". I guess Obama's close pal and mentor the, Rev. Wright, was correct when he said that Obama was a "typical politician". Now his campaign,Obama's, is looking more and more like the "King with no clothes" fairytale story...................very little substance. Sad......

This is disgusting. Obama should stand up and say Wesley Clark is wrong - dead wrong. That anyone who serves their country deserves the respect of the people of this nation. Some new type of politics. This makes me sick. As a former Democrat this hijacking of the democratic party by the left turning it into the Dean Democratic party has pushed many of us centrists away - ensuring we will not be voting democrat in this election. I am appalled by this. There are lines you do not cross - attacking McCain over his military service is just wrong.

Oh yes PLEASE attack a war hero and former POW for his Military Service!!! PLEASE!

This strategy also enables McCain or 527's to attack ANYTHING they wish about Obama! Everything is on the table if a POW can be attacked about his time in captivity!

Wesley Clarke says that McCain's Military experience is not qualifying for the Presidency. Of course, Obama has NO such experience so Clarke says for Obama it is about his character and good judgment!!! MMMMMMMM!!! OK, Wesley.

What does it say about Obama's charcter and good judgment that he:

Supported a racist and America hater from the pulpit of his Church for over 20 years??

Was and is friends and a business associate of a convicted terrorist??

Was friends and was politically mentored by a convicted felon and political briber???

Said one thing about NAFTA to the people and then signaled, secretly he thought, to the Canadian Government that it was all politics as usual???

Said the DC law banning hand guns was constitutional only to say that the SCOTUS correctly ruled!

Says he supports individual rights ot own a hand gun and yet as a Director of the Joyce Foundation funneled $15M to an org. that wrote pamphlets and White Papers virulently attacking hand gun ownership!

Decries the price of oil yet is adamnly ooposed to drilling and refining!

Now you say, all of this is irrelevant and divisive. Well, Wesley Clarke has just put ALL of this and MORE into play in claiming that Obama's election is about character and good judgment. So we have every right to examine that record. Clarke has opened the door and we are going to walk through it, with great enthusiasm!!

As a veteran myself I see nothing in McCain's war record that is exemplary. He finished (894 out of 899) in his class at the Naval Academy which meant he was able to get into flight school because his father was an Admiral and not on his own merits. We in the military hate the sons of top brass when they get favors they do not deserve. The purpose of being a soldier is not being captured by the enemy it is fighting the enemy. McCain is no "war hero" to me. I think people over use that phrase for too many vets. McCain is a survivor that's all. All this being said I think it's stupid for lefties, especially those that did not serve to attack anyone's war record. Even though I voted for Bush twice I was not happy with the right attacking Kerry. In fact that is one reason I came into this election favoring no party and looking at the facts behind each candidate. I have much more of a problem with McCain's anti-veteran voting record in the Senate through the years. McCain's AWOL no vote for the new GI Bill is another slap in the face to vets. The fact that he is the ONLY Vietnam Vet in the Senate that supports the continued occupation in Iraq and war with Iran speaks volumes about the man.

"A lot of people don't know… that McCain made a propaganda video for the enemy while he was in captivity," wrote Americablog's John Aravosis.

Does John McCain being captured by the Viet Cong, after crashing his FOURTH plane give him the right to:

Appear before a Latino Forum and Promise Ciitizenship for perhaps up to Thrity Million People, who of their own accord and knowing it was a crime to do so........................crossed the borders of the United States. Many of them..most of them..have committed Social Security Fraud by stealing and using American Numbers, thus ruining Social Security Work Histories and Credit reports of USA Citizens. Today, Identity theft from Illegal alien and other law breakers is the Crime most feared by American Citizens.

Do all of the Millions of mostly Hispanic Illegal aliens John MCCain, ONE PERSON, promises to make full American Citizens within the first 100 days ...do they have to surrender Their Citizenship in Mexico? Costa Rica? Honduras? China? India? or do they become DUAL CITIZENS..able to vote themselves Money and Benefits in the USA..while retaining full citizenship in Mexico or India? HOW DOES THIS BENEFIT AMERICAN CITIZENS?

Does he have the constitutional right to grant citizenship with an executive order without 1. A nation wide refrendum on the matter? 2. The question of Mass Amnesties being granted...should it not be placed on a ballot..like the one in November?

Do you live in a Democray when ONE man can legalized MILLIONS of people...or promise to do so...to get himself in Power...or to get His political Party into power?

Does anyone Dare to Call This Treason? Why do you accept it? Why are you not on the phone to your Represenatives and senators? Yes, they are most likely off on a vastly expensive junkets..you pay for ..but their staffs...and the many offices you maintain for them in Washington and in their home states and districts are open. And the hundreds of staff members you pay to serve them...they are there.................

P.S....Should the DHS and the USA Dept. of Immigration proceed with the MASSIVE legalizations of MILLIONS of would be citizens...mostly MEXICAN..who have sued to become citizens by November..In time to vote. The lawsuit LaRaza funded and pursued and won..or DHS CAVED..said nothing about wanting to be Americans..or about surrendering Mexican citizenship..or embracing citizenship .........it was cited..THEY WANT TO BE AMERICAN CITIZENS SO THEY CAN INFLUENCE THE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.

ARE WE THAT CORRUPT......THAT SOLD OUT?...WE HAVE POLTICANS AND GOVT. OFFICIALS THAT SPINELESS?

SHOULD THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TOSS OUT JOHN MCCAIN AS THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT AND PICK A REPUBLICAN TO RUN?

This is disgusting. Obama should stand up and say Wesley Clark is wrong - dead wrong.

This is not as disgusting as the swift boat attacks against Kerry. I respect Wesley Clark and he is entitled to his opinion. If Obama was saying such things it would be quite different. I actually think Obama is giving McCain too much credit for being honorable. What is honorable about not supporting the new GI Bill and many other vereran causes? If McCain was an honorable man he would get the troops our of Iraq like Obama. The troops have done their job and it's a slap in the face to say that their part of the mission is not finished. The troops won the war in Iraq years ago. Bush and the neocons lost the peace by having no exit strategy or worse not understanding that there was not exit strategy when you try and occupy a foreign country. A true honorable war hero would understand that the troops had done their jobs and should not be used like pawns.

So Obama and his campaign plans on "attacking" McCain on his war record? Well we Americans are sure glad that he's running a "clean" campaign based on the "issues". I guess Obama's close pal and mentor the, Rev. Wright, was correct when he said that Obama was a "typical politician". Now his campaign,Obama's, is looking more and more like the "King with no clothes" fairytale story...................very little substance. Sad......

Kerry released his records which the Republicans used to smear him with lies. The democratic party is being nice to McCain and they haven't brought up his top secret war records out into the open. Kerry did. Why can't John McCain do desame? Its not that people are bashing him as a wartime vet and POW. His running for president and using the slogan as a "war hero" because he was a POW in Vietnam. Clark stated he isn't fit for being the president because all he did was got shot down and became a POW. Clark is right. Being a POW is not a prerequisite to becoming president. Yet, that is what John McCain is trying to portray. He bashes Obama of not being in military combat before and that his not a true patriot because of it. Thats absolutely ********!! If McCain wants to show how much of a patriot he really is then open his war records for public examination. We want to know the truth. Keep in mind rightwing nutjobs will say that McCain's records will speak for itself and that he doesn't need to show his military record. If thats the case, than he should stop slandering Obama about not serving in the military and stop using that he is better in foreign policy because he served in a war. In fact, he should drop this concept that his a war hero until he opens up his military record. People who want to know the truth deserve to know. McCain is running for president. People will be voting for him. And if what those vets who are against him are telling the truth, then the American public has the rights to know as well.

But, we know for a FACT that Gen. Clark ordered the bombing of civilians in Serbia.

*****CLARK'S DISHONORABLE "VERY CLOSE TO WAR CRIMES" ACTIONS IN SERBIA/KOSOVO****

(1) Fisk says Clark wasn't very "antiwar" during his time in Serbia.

(2) NATO (under Clark's command) bombed a hospital, killing almost all of the patients.

(3) Clark bombed a series of bridges, and a train, even after they knew the train was on the bridge, they bombed the bridge again.;

(4) Clark claimed 100 Yugoslavian tanks were bombed. He lied. It was actually only 11.

(5) Clark ordered Brit General Michael Jackson to get to an airport first, ahead of Russian soldiers, so the U.S./Brits (and Clark) could get the credit of "liberatin" it. Gen. Jackson said he wasn't about to "start World War III."

(6) Under Clark's leadership, over and over again, sites that were bombed turned out to be illegitimate targets. When large numbers of citizens were killed, they either lied or were silenced.

(7) American aircraft (under Clark's command) bombed an Albanian refugee convoy. NATO claimed it was Serbs who did the bombs, but when Fisk and others investigated they found that the bombs had NATO markings on them. When confronted, NATO admitted it was NATO's bombing, but they were "confused." Later investigation by Fisk showed that NATO had continued to bomb the convoy for 35 minutes, even though there were civilian refugees there, because, mixed in with the civilians, were Serbian vehicles.

In his two books...written by himself..The Audacity of Hope and Dreams of my Father, books which have made him a very rich man, Obama speaks of his cocaine useage..." I felt the needle on the skin of my arm" ditto...did he shoot heroin? Did he or didn't he? A teaser question is left in the reader's mine.

Barry Obama did sit in the Pews of a Man..Rev.Wright...who cited Rev. James Cone as a "Major Force" in his life. Rev.Cone has written books calling for exterminating all White People. He says they are "beyond redemption". One can look to a Black Theology Leaders..One who supports 'indigious rights'..Robert Mugabe in Zimbawe and see that YES INDEED...those words are meant..when POWER is placed in the hands of men and women who dabble in such evil thoughts.

In Audacity of Hope...Obama makes statements are are very Pro Muslim. As a Woman, I reject any Man who embraces Muslim thought. which LEGALLY enforces a slavery of women..to where they are one half the worth of MEN..where Women can and are stoned to death..we see the video tapes smuggled out of Iran..Saudi Arabia..Iraq in Kurdish Villages...

Appear before a Latino Forum and Promise Ciitizenship for perhaps up to Thrity Million People, who of their own accord and knowing it was a crime to do so........................crossed the borders of the United States. Many of them..most of them..have committed Social Security Fraud by stealing and using American Numbers, thus ruining Social Security Work Histories and Credit reports of USA Citizens. Today, Identity theft from Illegal alien and other law breakers is the Crime most feared by American Citizens.

Do all of the Millions of mostly Hispanic Illegal aliens AND VISTA OVERSTAY PEOPLE...MANY..MILLIONS OF WHOM ARE MUSLIM...DOES BARRY OBAMA.........., ONE PERSON, WHO promises to make full American Citizens within the first 100 days ...do they have to surrender Their Citizenship in INDIA/ PAKISTAN? IRAN? IRAQ? AFRCIAN NATIONS"? Mexico? or do they become DUAL CITIZENS..able to vote themselves Money and Benefits in the USA..while retaining full citizenship in Pakistan, Morroco or India? HOW DOES THIS BENEFIT AMERICAN CITIZENS?

Does he have the constitutional right to grant citizenship with an executive order without 1. A nation wide refrendum on the matter? 2. The question of Mass Amnesties being granted...should it not be placed on a ballot..like the one in November?

Do you live in a Democray when ONE man can legalized MILLIONS of people...or promise to do so...to get himself in Power...or to get His political Party into power?

Does anyone Dare to Call This Treason? Why do you accept it? Why are you not on the phone to your Represenatives and senators? Yes, they are most likely off on a vastly expensive junkets..you pay for ..but their staffs...and the many offices you maintain for them in Washington and in their home states and districts are open. And the hundreds of staff members you pay to serve them...they are there.................

P.S....Should the DHS and the USA Dept. of Immigration proceed with the MASSIVE legalizations of MILLIONS of would be citizens...ONE half of them on Visa Overstays..MILLIONS OF THEM MUSLIMS...INDIANS are also MUSLIMS.who think women are worth one half of a man...who call Christians and Jews..Dhimmis...who are turning Europe into a Prison Camp.......Many of whom.. have sued to become citizens by November..In time to vote. The lawsuit LaRaza funded and pursued and won..or DHS CAVED..said nothing about wanting to be Americans..or about surrendering Mexican citizenship..or embracing citizenship .........it was cited..THEY WANT TO BE AMERICAN CITIZENS SO THEY CAN INFLUENCE THE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.

AS A WOMAN...........WHO GAVE BARRY OBAMA THE RIGHT TO MAKE EVEN ONE MAN WHO CONSIDERS ME HALF HIS WORTH...WHO CALLS ME A DHIMMI...A SECOND CLASS CITIZEN..WHAT GIVES HIM THE RIGHT TO MAKE EVEN ONE PERSON A USA CITIZEN...........WITHOUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE...AMERICAN WOMEN EVERY HAVING A SAY..OR VOTE...IN THE MATTER................................TO DO THIS..IN MY OWN NATION............SO HE CAN BE PRESIDENT?

Believe that if you want to, Rexcon. Just don't be surprised if more generals come forward though. I'm simply saying do your research... Don't be surprised if you don't find the military support for McCain that you thought you would.

In a Democracy Now! exclusive, General Wesley Clark responds for the first time to in-depth questions about his targeting of civilian infrastructure in Yugoslavia, his bombing of Radio Television Serbia, the use of cluster bombs and depleted uranium, the speeding-up of the cockpit video of a bombing of a passenger train to make it appear as though it was an accident and other decisions he made and orders he gave as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander.

Since the 1999 bombing of Yugoslavia, General Wesley Clark has not answered any in-depth questions about his targeting of civilian infrastructure in Yugoslavia, his bombing of Radio Television Serbia, the use of cluster bombs and depleted uranium, the speeding-up of the cockpit video of a bombing of a passenger train to make it appear as though it was an accident and other decisions he made and orders he gave as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander.